Grand Jury Declines to Indict Six Democrats in Military Order Dispute
A grand jury in Washington, D.C. has decided not to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a video urging military and intelligence personnel to resist unlawful orders. This decision disrupts efforts by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who was appointed by President Trump, as reported by NBC News.
President Trump has been vocal about his stance, referring to lawmakers with statements like, “Sedition is punishable by death,” through his social media platform. The six lawmakers involved are New Hampshire Rep. Maggie Goodlander, Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, Pennsylvania Reps. Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Hoolahan, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly. All of them have backgrounds in the military or intelligence and chose not to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation.
In their video, these lawmakers expressed concern that the Trump administration is creating tensions between the military and American citizens. They highlighted the responsibility of public officials to reject illegal orders, urging, “Americans need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution. Don’t abandon ship.”
Slotkin took to social media to assert that Pirro’s actions were directly influenced by Trump, which she described as a “politicized” investigation. She noted that Trump has repeatedly suggested that she should be investigated for sedition. Slotkin stated, “a grand jury of anonymous American citizens upheld the rule of law and determined that this case should not proceed.”
The investigation has seen all six lawmakers questioned by the FBI. Recently, the Pentagon also announced an inquiry into Kelly for potential military law violations related to the same video.
Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina and set to leave Congress after his term, warned that “political legal actions” from either side threaten public faith in the justice system. He expressed relief that the jury recognized the facts surrounding the indictment attempt, calling such political maneuvering unacceptable.
Details about the specific charges that prosecutors aimed to pursue remain vague. Separately, a federal judge is expected to decide soon whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acted lawfully when he retaliated against Kelly due to the video involvement. Hegseth has reportedly issued a formal letter of censure to Kelly, also recommending a reduction in his military rank from Navy captain.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia was contacted for further comments but did not respond.
